The present invention relates to an air massage system and, in particular, to an air massage system for massaging a human body by selectively supplying compressed air to a plurality of air-tight chambers provided at massage bodies and selectively discharging the compressed air from these chambers.
An air massage apparatus of a type set out below is conventionally known which, in order to restore, maintain, improve the human health, performs a continuous massage by sequentially supplying and discharging compressed air to and from a plurality of air-tight chambers of massage bodies worn around the upper or lower limbs of the user.
Normally, such massage apparatuses include a compressed air distribution apparatus for distributing compressed air from the compressed air supply source to respective air-tight chambers and discharging it from the chambers. For example, the compressed air distribution apparatus is such that respective air-tight chambers are repeatedly expanded and contracted by distributively supplying and discharging the compressed air with the use of ordinary electromagnetic valves.
The assignee of the present invention has proposed a distribution apparatus in JPN PAT APPLN NO. 9-188967 (filed on Jul. 1st, 1997 and published on Jan. 26th, 1999) in which distribution valve is provided at a supply passageway (header) of a compressed air supply source to correspond to respective air-tight chambers of the massage body. The distribution valve is provided with three-way valves each having a supply port, distribution port and discharge port and being adapted to be opened and closed by a spherical valve body operated by a solenoid section.
The air massage apparatus, however, requires to use an electromagnetic valve of a small pressure loss which is suited to a pump of a low pressure and high flow rate. In such air massage apparatus, such ordinary electromagnetic valve is larger in size, higher in cost and lower in mass-productivity. Further, this type of electromagnetic valve can adjust a cycle of suction into the air-tight chambers of the massage body, but it cannot adjust the rate of air flow into the respective chamber (see JPN PAT KOKOKU PUBLICATION NO. 51-41794).
The distribution valve as described in the above-mentioned JPN PAT APPLN NO. 9-188967 can be manufactured at low costs and can supply/discharge a large quantity of compressed air. By doing so it is possible to switch the air-tight chambers selectively or in a predetermined cycle or to effectively supply and discharge air to and from the chambers. However, it is not possible to adjust pressure in the respective chamber.
In particular, the wearer receives a different feeling when being massaged on the upper or lower limbs. In the case where the pressure in the respective chambers is the same, it gives pain to the thigh but it is not satisfactory to the top of the foot. The inventor of the present application enables the user to receive a well-balanced body feeling by increasing pressure in the respective chambers toward his or her foot""s top or hand""s tip.
The present invention has been achieved based on the above circumstances and it is the object of the present invention to provide an air massage system which is simple in structure and inexpensive and give the user a comfortable message feeling.
According to the present invention there is provided an air massage system comprising a massage body having a plurality of air-tight chambers, a compressed air supply source for supplying compressed air to the massage body, a compressed air distribution apparatus arranged between the compressed air supply source and the massage body and having a plurality of switching valves allowing the respective chamber to communicate with one of the compressed air supply source and an outer atmosphere, a controller for controlling the respective switching valve to expand or contract the respective chambers and check valves respectively arranged between the compressed air supply source and the respective switching valve and being open in a direction from the compressed air supply source toward a direction of the switching valve, the chambers being individually controllable in pressure.
By doing so, the user receives a mutually different pressing force at each body part contacting with the respective chamber without simply receiving a uniform pressing force at the respective body part. And the user can receive a well-balanced feeling corresponding to the respective body parts. This provides added massaging effect to the user.
It is preferable that the compressed air supply source have a tank holding compressed air therein and the controller have a sensor detecting a variation of pressure in the tank and that, by doing so, an output of the compressed air supply source be controlled in accordance with a magnitude corresponding to the pressure in the tank. In this case, there occurs no greater variation in an output of the compressed air supply source and the user never receives any unpleasant feeling resulting from a sudden variation of sound.
It is also preferable that the controller sequentially supply compressed air to each air-tight chamber in a given supply sequence while adjusting it to an equal or lower level.
It may be possible to have a shut-off valve interruptible between the tank and the respective check valve and control this shut-off valve by a controller. In this case, it is possible to control the pressure in the respective chamber to any given level.
It is desirable that the controller store a plurality of control patterns each operating respective switching valves so that the user can select any one of them.
It is preferable that the switching valve include a valve box having a supply port communicating with the compressed air supply source, a distribution port communicating with the chamber and an discharge port communicating with an outer atmosphere, a valve body movably received in the valve box and allowing the distribution port to communicate with one of both the supply port and the discharge port, a solenoid controlled by the controller, and a movable member coupled to the valve body and driven by the solenoid. In this case, the switching valve is formed as a very compact and simpler structure.
The valve box has a substantially cylindrical configuration and has a valve seat with the supply port opened on a one-end side of an axial direction thereof and can hold the check valve on an other-end side.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.